Wide Awake
by notfrosen
Summary: A mysterious scavenger named Shwaz joins Rey on her journey to get BB-8 to the Resistance Base. Who is he, and how does his presence change the events of the Force Awakens? Happy Star Wars Day!
1. Chapter 1

**wide awake**

I.

Rey settled in the sand and leaned against the solid underbelly of the AT-AT. Her muscles were tired from the long hours of work. The cooling afternoon air made her arms break out in goosebumps and dried the sweat on her exposed skin. She mechanically ate the rations she prepared. Only a quarter portion that day. Unkar Plutt was a terrible being.

Her eyes roamed the area as she mindlessly chewed. They landed on her helmet and without a second thought she plopped it onto her head. Old memories sparked to life, and with them old feelings burned her heart. She could recall an innocent, child-like wonder at finding the Rebel Alliance helmet. Rey had been filled with glee when she wore it like a royal diadem, crowning herself leader of the historical movement, and pretending to go on missions to find missing Rebels.

In her ten year old fantasies, the lost Rebels she reunited with ended up being her parents. She would embrace them, and they would whisper loving words in her ear and tell her how proud they were.

She watched with disinterest as a starship rose into the air.

A distant beeping followed by a loud shout pulled her out of her thoughts and she was immediately on alert. Rey pulled off the helmet and set it aside before grabbing her quarterstaff and launching onto her feet. She hurried toward the sound in the distance, preparing herself for action despite the aching of her muscles.

"-_telling you for the last time, release him!_"

"_Step away from my droid, human scum._"

Before her was a Teedo perched on a Luggabeast speaking angrily at a rather tall human. At his feet was a droid tangled up in the Teedo's net. A spear was pointed at the man's chest, merely inches away from his heart. To her surprise the man didn't seem to be aware of the dangerous position he was in. That or he didn't care, which Rey found foolish. Teedos, in her experience, had a tendency to fight with the other scavengers of Jakku over scraps of metal. She didn't want to know what this Teedo would do to get an actual working droid.

"_I warned you_."

Rey's eyes widened as the Teedo reared his spear back, ready to stab. She lunged forward, quarterstaff tight in her hands, ready to intervene.

It was with amazement that she watched the man dodge the spear with lightning fast reflexes. Seconds later his hands grabbed hold of the Teedo's weapon and yanked it out of the lifeform's hold. The Teedo shouted obscenities and threats at the loss of his weapon, which trailed off when the head of the spear was pointed at his chest.

He said something to Teedo that Rey couldn't hear before glancing at her over his shoulder. The fierce and frightening look on his face was slowly replaced with a guarded expression.

"Who are you?" He said in basic. She noticed his eyes trail toward her quarterstaff.

"I'm Rey," she said. The intensity of his gaze made her nervous, but she refused to let the stranger see that. Rey glanced at the droid, who was looking back and forth between her and his Master. "I can free the droid, if you'd like. It seems you've got your hands full."

His eyes narrowed a fraction. He stared at her, unblinking. Rey felt goosebumps beneath her covered arms. The way he looked at her made her feel... exposed. Like he could see into her soul.

Finally, he nodded. "I trust you're not foolish enough to kidnap my friend." He turned away from her and focused on Teedo. "Go ahead, then."

Rey released a breath of air and descended the dune. She drew her knife and knelt before the white and orange droid. He beeped at her in what she suspected was gratitude as she began hacking away at the netting. Once released, it rolled out of the net and bumped into his Master's leg.

The man snapped the spear and threw the pieces into the sand. The teedo growled.

"_Leave. Now_." The man commanded in Teedospeak.

It turned the Luggabeast around and departed in the opposite direction. Rey watched as the unpleasant scavenger disappeared over the dune. Once gone, the droid rolled to the edge of the dune and beeped loudly at the retreating Teedo. The man chuckled at the droid's challenging remarks and knelt down before it.

"I wouldn't provoke him if I were you, BB-8. Oh, your antenna's bent. I'll fix that for you, bud." His attitude was much more pleasant now that his droid was safe. Rey watched as he attached the fixed antenna and smiled. It brightened his face.

"Who are you?" Rey didn't mean to voice the question. She found herself surprised when she got an answer.

"Shwaz," he said, standing to his full height. He motioned down at the rolling droid beside him. "And this is BB-8."

BB-8 beeped at her.

"Thank you for helping my friend," Shwaz said.

"It was no trouble." Rey replied. "It seemed like you had it under control anyway." She looked down at the broken spear at her feet. Splinters of wood were half buried in sand. "I'd best be on my way."

Rey glanced at BB-8 and then gave Shwaz a brief look. "Best of luck," she said softly.

She turned around and began her trek back to the AT-AT.

"Wait!"

Her ears twitched when she heard his footsteps crush the sand beneath. Rey looked over her shoulder to see Shwaz and BB-8 trailing after her. Despite herself, she turned around.

Shwaz stopped before her. That intense look was back on his face. The fading sunlight hit him straight on. His hair was a mess of brown curls she earlier thought were black. And his eyes - her mind immediately brought up the image of the ocean, though she'd never actually been to one before.

"Yes?" She said when he still hadn't spoken.

"Listen - do you have a speeder I can borrow?"

Rey frowned. Subconsciously she stepped backward. "Why?"

BB-8 whistled and beeped. Rey's eyes darted to the droid.

"Secret mission?" her eyebrows knitted together.

"Yes. Emphasis on _secret_," Shwaz frowned down at BB-8 who let out an apologetic sound.

The answer was simple. Yet, she hesitated in saying the words out loud. It was insane. There was no reason to trust them. It was illogical and stupid. But Rey's gut told her that it was true and they _were_ on a secret mission. They were in trouble. And if she didn't help them... something very bad would happen.

"Tell me what's going on, and then I'll help."

* * *

**written 1/2018 for funsies, and now posting the chapters I have for Star Wars Day for funsies. Let me know what you think, and May the Fourth be with you :)**


	2. Chapter 2

II.

Inhabitants of Jakku were paranoid and suspicious folk, with good reason. Out in the desert it was the survival of the fittest. The weak were not spared. Children with scavenging talent were manipulated by adults with empty bellies. Rumors of betrayals and back-stabbings were whispered and quickly passed around Niima Outpost before vanishing with the sunset.

Rey stared at the sleeping form of Shwaz with an intensity she didn't know she possessed. She was tense in her hammock inside the AT-AT. What was she thinking? How stupid could she be to allow a complete stranger into her shelter? It was reckless. If she ended up with her own knife plunged deep into her chest she would deserve it.

It was ridiculous.

She was ridiculous.

Yet, something deep inside her insisted that Shwaz could be trusted. He was telling the truth about BB-8 being part of the Resistance, and that the droid was a key part of a very important mission. And although he hadn't said anything, Shwaz himself was also important. She could just feel it.

Rey breathed out of her nose and turned onto her side, facing away from Shwaz. She tried to force herself to sleep by staring at the metal walls.

It was a fruitless effort.

With a huff of annoyance she turned onto the other side. She grumbled, trying to get comfortable. When she glanced once more in the direction of the sleeping stranger she froze. Their eyes met in the darkness.

"You can't sleep either, can you?" He said softly.

She shook her head.

"You're worried." It was a statement.

"I'd be foolish if I weren't." Rey replied. She could barely see him in the darkness of her shelter.

"Some would call you foolish for letting me into your home at all."

"And they would be right. Also, this is not my home."

"If it's not a home, then what is it?"

Rey shifted positions on the hammock so that she was laying on her back. She stared up at the dark ceiling. "Shelter. Nothing more."

Hours later Rey woke to find both Shwaz and BB-8 gone. Her eyes darted about the inside of the AT-AT. They were nowhere to be found. She pulled herself out of the hammock and stood on her feet. When had they left? Hadn't they agreed Rey would help them get off planet?

A distant beeping followed by a low voice made her shoulders relax. They were still here. Rey hurried over to her table and grabbed a portion of rations. It wasn't much at all, she thought as she ripped open the package, but it was all she had.

Once prepared, Rey stepped outside with her meager meal. She squinted her eyes, blinded temporarily by the brightness of the sun. There she saw Shwaz stood facing the endless sea of dunes. He stood with his hands behind his back and his legs parted. At his feet was BB-8. The droid beeped softly.

"You know, standing out in the open is the perfect way to get caught." Rey couldn't help but say as she approached him.

He turned around and arched an eyebrow at her. "Good morning to you, too."

She stopped in front him.

"Here," she held out her tray. "It isn't much, but a little sustenance is better than none."

Shwaz took the offered food from her with thanks. She settled down in the sand while Shwaz leaned against the AT-AT leg. Together they ate and watched as a starship rose into the stratosphere.

"That's what we need," Shwaz broke the silence.

"What?" Rey looked up at him.

He motioned toward the vessel in the sky. "A ship."

She raised an eyebrow up at him. "Can you afford one?"

"I never said I was going to buy one."

"You want to steal a ship?" Rey almost laughed. "Are you out of your mind?"

"It's the only way to get BB-8 back to the Resistance base."

Said droid beeped in affirmation.

Rey set her empty tray down in the sand and rose to her feet. She faced Shwaz. He stared resolutely out at the horizon. Slowly his intense gaze settled on her and his eyebrows twitched.

"What is it like? Fighting for the Resistance." She asked.

There were whispers and rumors about this band of lifeforms who fought against the First Order. Never was there any concrete information, and no one ever spoke too loud. Fear of backlash for even mentioning the group of rebels had inhabitants of Jakku speaking in low voices.

The stories of the Resistance travelled around the Outpost. They reached Rey's ears. And they brought memories of childhood fantasies back to mind. An age old yearning for adventure burned deep down in her heart. If she could join them, she would.

He made a soft noise. "I think you should ask BB-8 that."

"What do you mean?" Rey's body tensed. "You said-"

"I never said _I_ was part of the Resistance. Not yet, at least."

She went over their conversation from the night before and realized he was right. Rey had simply assumed he, too, was from the Resistance because the droid was. That had been a foolish mistake, and she mentally berated herself for it.

"Are you going to join them?" She said.

His face took on a look of determination. "Yes." He paused. "Are you?"

"I - no," Rey looked away from him and turned to the sky. "I have to stay here."

"Stay on Jakku?" She could almost hear the frown on his face. Rey tried to push away the swell of emotions that rose every time she thought of them - of her parents. "There's nothing here for you, Rey. Just a whole lot of sand." He spat out the word with particular disgust.

"What do you care if I want to stay?" Rey narrowed her eyes at him as she turned with a spark of anger. "You don't know me - and I don't know you."

His eyebrows knitted together. "Staying here doesn't make any sense." He waved an arm in emphasis. "You live alone here in your AT-AT. You scavenge for parts to trade for miniscule portions of what can barely be called food. And when you're presented with an opportunity to leave - to be free - you don't want to go."

Rey curled her hands into fists and clenched her jaw. He struck a chord, and judging by the look in his eye, he knew it. It was true. There was nothing here for her on Jakku. Nothing - except hope. The slightest possible hope that they would come back for her. That Rey would reunite with them at last, and be held tight in their arms once more. The hope that their disappearance had been an accident, or a misunderstanding.

"Why don't you want to leave?" He stepped forward, his words more of a demand than a question.

"That's none of your business." Rey said in her best no-nonsense voice. "And if you still want my help, I'd suggest you _drop it_."

The earth beneath them trembled for a split second, startling Rey, before it stopped. There seemed to be a flicker of... something... in his eyes. Then it vanished, as if Rey had merely imagined it.

"We should probably get going. We've wasted enough time." Shwaz turned away from Rey and beckoned BB-8. She watched as they began their journey to Niima Outpost.

"Good riddance," Rey mumbled. But she couldn't get herself to go back inside. Her legs were frozen and her eyes were glued to the two retreating figures. A member of the Resistance and a potential recruit. Her gut feeling told her to grab her things and follow them. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get off Jakku, perhaps forever. Her childhood fantasies could come true - she could be a rebel.

If she stayed on Jakku, she would wither away until her body turned to ash and became part of the mighty dunes of sand.

"Wait!"


	3. Chapter 3

III.

Niima Outpost was always busy. Lifeforms of all sorts trudged in with their findings and presented them to Unkar Plutt. They were then dismissed with a pathetic amount of rations that they were expected to survive on. The value of parts differed on an almost daily basis. What was worth three-quarter portion one day ended up being one-quarter portion the next. It was wrong. But that was part of life on Jakku: living with injustice.

"Next!" The Crolute called.

Rey stood up to the Concession Stand and presented the salvage parts to him. He grumbled and eyed the starship remnants before slapping down her survival rations onto the counter.

"Half-portions."

Ridiculous. Those same parts were worth one whole portion of rations last week. But she bit her tongue and took them off the counter. There were more important things to think about.

She gripped her quarterstaff tight as she left the area of the Crolute's stand. Her heart pumped at an elevated pace. Rey couldn't help but feel on edge, as if at any moment Plutt's minions would find them out and turn them in to the First Order.

Onward she walked until she reached the watering hole. There Shwaz stood, arms folded across his chest and looking awfully cavalier. At his feet was BB-8 wrapped in brown cloth, hiding in plain sight. She stopped in front of him.

"Ready to go, then?" Shwaz stepped forward and dropped his arms to his sides.

Rey could only nod. She still couldn't believe they were planning to steal one of Plutt's starships. It was insanity, pure and simple. While Rey's heart was pounding from nerves, Shwaz looked completely at ease. As if commandeering a ship was another past time for him.

Maybe it was.

It was as if he read her thoughts. "You're nervous." Shwaz said in a lowered voice. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Wasn't that the question of the year. Did she?

She didn't get a chance to respond.

"Look out!" Shwaz pulled her out of the way just in time. A man launched himself into the watering hole and drank like he'd never seen water before. He would have plowed her over for sure. Rey winced as she watched saliva from the large mammal beside them drip into the water.

"You can let go of me now," Rey snapped the moment she realized Shwaz's hand was still gripping her wrist.

He released her, as if scalded. "Sorry."

Rey huffed and looked over to where the droid was hiding. Her breath hitched. Beneath the cloth, BB-8 had rolled and bumped right into the man dying of thirst. The young man whipped around and his hand immediately went for the droid's cover.

"Hey!" She shouted.

But he had already uncovered the droid. He looked up at Rey in confusion, water dripping down his dark skin and wetting his clothes.

"What is wrong with you?" Rey hissed at him as she covered BB-8 up. Had the droid been recognised? Would the First Order be alerted? "Didn't anyone teach you not to touch things that aren't yours?"

He looked taken aback. "I'm sorry! I didn't know it was yours."

"Rey, we have to go. Now." Shwaz said.

"Right." Rey stood. "Well-"

She didn't finish her thought. A blaster bolt whizzed over her shoulder. Rey's eyes widened and Shwaz shouted at her to get down. He whipped a blaster from his belt. She turned and ducked as another blaster flew over her head. Shwaz aimed for the group of stormtroopers and fired.

"Perfect!" Rey scowled. Her eyes turned to the man beside her and she glared. "This is your fault."

"What?" His dark eyes widened.

"Rey!" Shwaz shouted, dodging blaster fire with an unnatural ease and firing back. "Let's go!"

She uncovered BB-8's now useless disguise. The droid directed an anxious beep at her.

"It'll be alright, BB-8." Rey tried to soothe him.

"Follow my lead - NOW." Shwaz yelled.

Rey sprang to her feet. She ran after Shwaz and BB-8 rolled on behind her. Together they sprinted through the tented market. Shwaz turned his head over his shoulder and shot at the stormtroopers. A loud scream alerted Rey that he must have hit his mark. They pushed past the crowd of lifeforms and entered a small dark tent to catch their breath.

The flap in the tent moved. Rey whipped around and scowled. It was the young man from the watering hole. She immediately pointed her quarterstaff at his chest, preventing him from coming closer. "Why are you following us?"

"I'm not following you!"

BB-8 let out a series of beeps and Shwaz lifted his blaster pistol.

"You have one minute to explain why you're wearing clothing that belongs to BB-8's Master." His voice was dangerous and made the hairs on Rey's neck stand on end.

The young man lifted his hands up. "Listen - it's not what it looks like." He looked down at the droid. "Your Master was Poe Dameron, right?

BB-8 gave an affirmative beep.

"He was captured by the First Order. I helped him escape but his ship crashed on Jakku. I'm sorry, but he didn't make it. This jacket was all that was left."

From the corner of her eye Rey saw Shwaz slowly drop his arm. "He's telling the truth."

But Rey didn't drop her quarterstaff. She held her ground. "How can you be certain?

"Because-"

An explosion right outside the tent made them all jump. The cloth flapped from the sudden gust of air and sand blew into their eyes.

"RUN." Rey shouted and sprinted out of the tent.

Together they dodged the blasts from the TIEs above. Rey led them toward the shipyard. This was not how she had envisioned the hijack would go. At all. Explosions rang out in the Outpost. Clouds of sand erupted to their sides as the TIEs missed their target.

"There! That one ought to do the trick!" Shwaz pointed at the ship.

"We need a pilot!" Their tag-along said from behind them.

"We have one!" Rey and Shwaz said in unison. She turned to look at Shwaz in surprise. He mirrored the look.

"What about that ship?"

Rey huffed when she glanced over her shoulder at the ship the man had pointed at. "That one is garbage." She said at the same time Shwaz vehemently shouted, "Not in a million years."

Behind them one of the TIE fighters blew up the freighter. It exploded into several shades of red and orange and smoke plumed into the air. Rey didn't spare it another look. They needed to get into the ship before it was next.

"Let's GO." Shwaz yelled, pulling them back into reality. Together they sprinted toward the ship. Rey's ears felt clogged after another explosion shook the ground. Her heart was galloping at a concerning speed, but there was no time to think about her health. Survival was all that mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

IV.

The moment they left Jakku's atmosphere Rey let out a breath of air. She took a moment to stare, wide eyed, at the stars twinkling in the inky expanse of space. It was breath taking. Beautiful.

"Huh?"

For a moment she forgot she wasn't alone. Beside her Shwaz had a grin on his face. There was something about it that was blinding. Almost like a beam of light. An unnamed emotion swelled within her. She had to turn away a bit.

"That was incredible." Rey's heart was still racing from the exhilaration of the chase. "You were fantastic!"

"So were you. Where did you learn to fly like that?" His eyebrows furrowed a bit in question.

Rey gave him a cheeky smile. "Wouldn't you like to know."

She rose to her feet and left the cockpit of the ship where she bumped into their Resistance tag-along. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"That was amazing!"

"What's your name?" Rey asked.

"I'm Finn. And you two?"

Before she could speak, Shwaz appeared. "I'm Shwaz. This is Rey. And that," he pointed to the droid. "Is BB-8."

BB-8 beeped up at Finn.

"So Finn," Rey looked up at him. "Are you with the Resistance, too?"

He blinked at her for a moment before straightening slightly. "Yes. Yes I am. I'm with the Resistance."

She took in Finn's appearance. Rey had never met a real Resistance fighter before. Shwaz didn't count, since he technically hadn't joined. Not yet. Finn was tall, fit, and she winced at just how sweaty he was. It seemed he wasn't used to hot, desert planets. He looked like he took a dive in a pool.

"He's lying."

Shwaz glared at Finn. His muscles were tense and the look on his face was fierce. Her heart started picking up speed. The last thing she wanted or needed was a serious fight while they were trying to make their getaway. She glanced at Finn. He shifted his weight back and forth and turned his head slightly. There was a nervous energy about him.

Finn huffed. "Yeah? What are you, psychic?" He let out a small laugh.

"Why are you lying?" Shwaz took a step forward. Everything about the act was threatening. "Tell me who you are."

"Shwaz!" Rey suddenly wished she hadn't left her quarterstaff in the cockpit. She looked between the two. "Why do you think he's lying?"

"I don't think he's lying - I know it." Shwaz turned his stormy eyes on Rey, questioning. "Can't you feel it?"

"I-what?" Rey froze. "I don't know what you're talking about." She stepped backward, fear rising within her. Her heart was pounding against the wall of her chest. Rey tore her eyes away from him, but not before seeing a disappointed look cross his face.

"You're lying, too."

Finn took one step toward her. Shwaz turned and pointed a finger at him, and Finn stopped in his tracks. "You," his voice was low. Rey felt something shift around them. The air became suffocating. "You're with the First Order."

No, that couldn't be true. But Shwaz was so confident. A feeling of disappointment washed over Rey as Finn's eyes widened in shock. He stood completely still. Finn didn't deny it.

"How did you know, hmm?" There was a slight tremble in his voice. "How could you know that!" Finn's voice rose to a shout.

"How I know is beside the point. What matters here is why we," Shwaz motioned toward Rey and BB-8, "should trust you?"

Finn's eyes hardened. Rey was surprised to see him step toward Shwaz. "Because I hate the First Order, and I want nothing to do with them." He paused. "Do you feel that? It's the truth."

The two men glared at one another for a long moment. Shwaz dropped his hand to his side.

"Very well." Shwaz turned his head and met Rey's eyes. "I believe he is telling the truth."

Her eyes darted between the two of them. Finn was glaring at the back of Shwaz's head like he wanted it to explode. Those two did not like each other one bit. Their animosity was the last thing they needed on their journey.

"Alright." Rey frowned at Finn. "Where do you want us to drop you off?"

"Drop me off?" His brown eyes grew uncertain. "What do you mean?"

Shwaz snorted. "I think the meaning is pretty clear."

Finn opened his mouth to retort but Rey interrupted.

"Finn, you're not Resistance." Her eyebrows furrowed. She didn't like being deceived. "You can't come with us."

He looked at her in confusion. "Wait, are you joining the Resistance?"

"Yes." Rey said in her most confident voice. Deep down, a small voice protested, telling her she had to go back to Jakku. She tried to squash that tiny part of her away. "I am."

"No." Finn shook his head.

Her eyebrows shot upward. "Excuse me?"

"No, you shouldn't." He continued. There was a flicker of fear in his eyes. "If you join the Resistance, you're doomed. The First Order will crush you."

"Are you telling me I should just - what? Run away?" Rey scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

Finn's eyes hardened. "You know what? Fine. Don't take my advice." He frowned and turned away from them. "Drop me off at the nearest system." He said as he walked away.

Once he was gone, Rey knelt down before the round droid. "BB-8. We need to know the location of the Resistance base if we're to help you with your mission. Could you tell us?"

The droid nodded and let out a series of beeps and boops. Rey didn't quite catch all of it and looked up at Shwaz. There was understanding on his face. He nodded.

"Got it. Thanks, bud." Shwaz knelt down and patted the droid. "We'll get you there as soon as we can, alright?"

BB-8 blooped and Shwaz chuckled. He looked up at Rey. "Ready to go?"

"Yes."

They entered the cockpit and Shwaz shut the door behind them. "The base is on D'qar." He sat in the pilot's seat. "I didn't want to say out there in case _somebody_ was listening in."

"You really don't trust him, do you?" Rey said as she looked over the ship's controls.

"He lied once. He'll lie again. We don't need someone like that overhearing sensitive information. Especially former members of the First Order." He paused and swore.

Rey turned her head toward him. "What is it?"

"We don't have enough fuel to get us to D'qar." He tapped a finger on the fuel gauge. "And I'm not sure I have enough credits to get us the fuel the, ahem, legal way."

She gave him a flat look. "Are you telling me we need to steal fuel?"

"If we want to get to the Resistance base, then yes."

"Lovely." Rey sighed. "How far can we go until we're nearly out?"

"We can go as far as Takodana before getting dangerously close to empty."

Rey nodded. "Full speed to Takodana, then."

Shwaz entered the coordinates and they entered lightspeed. Rey watched as the pinprick of stars stretched until they were bright white lines lighting up the darkness of space.


	5. Chapter 5

V.

Takodana was a remarkable marble of green and blue. Upon seeing it Rey felt her breath hitch. She'd only heard tales of such planets on Jakku. She'd only seen such images in her dreams. As they entered Takodana's atmosphere and flew closer to the surface, Rey's eyes grew misty with emotion.

"I never knew so much green existed in the galaxy." She all but whispered. Slowly she turned to look at Shwaz beside her in the pilot's seat. There was a look of wonder on his face. His bright eyes turned to her. They were the same color as the ocean beneath their ship.

"Me neither."

He flew the ship closer to the surface and they coasted over vast seas and past dense forests. They approached a monument in the distance. The nearer they got, the more it looked like an ancient temple.

"What is that?" Rey took in the sight before her. It appeared to be a castle with multiple flags. "Do you think we're safe here?" She said, leaning forward to get a better look at the aged building.

"I'm not sure," Shwaz said as he landed the ship onto the grassy surface. "Something tells me you should be armed."

"That same something that tells you if someone's telling the truth or not?" Rey couldn't help but say.

He gave her a sharp look, but it was nothing like the dreadful glares he'd sent Finn. "Exactly. Do you have a weapon?"

"I've got this." Rey lifted her quarterstaff.

Shwaz gave her a sour look. "That's it?"

"That's all I need."

He sighed. "We should really get you a blaster, but that'll do for now."

They left the cockpit and searched for their droid friend. It was Rey's idea to keep him hidden within the ship. Shwaz found a spot near the refresher where BB-8 could be kept safely beneath the floor. The droid had let out a sad boop at not getting to follow them, but Shwaz insisted that BB-8 understood their reasoning, much to Finn's disbelief.

"How does he even understand that thing?" Finn had whispered to Rey.

"He told me he learned binary when he was a child." Rey had replied.

"Yeah?" Finn had leaned closer to her ear. "And how do we know he's not making it up?"

Rey had given Finn a look. "I understand enough binary to get the gist of what BB-8 is saying, that's how."

Once the droid was hidden, Shwaz approached Finn. Rey tensed upon seeing the grimace on his face. He stopped a few steps in front of him and crossed his arms against his chest.

"This is where our paths diverge, Stormtrooper." Shwaz said.

Finn's jaw clenched. "I'm not a Stormtrooper."

"Shwaz, stop antagonizing him!" Rey stepped in. She was tired of their arguing, and she couldn't help but feel relieved that Finn was leaving. If he had stayed, Rey had a terrible feeling that the antagonism would never end.

"Fine." Shwaz still had a slight scowl in place. "Let's not waste any time. The last thing we need is the First Order tracking us down."

Together the three of them exited the ship. Rey stepped off the landing rail and took a moment to admire the scenery. It was like walking in a dream. The aromatic air was humid and cool. Around them the forests were teeming with life. Birds sang and chased one another through the trees, small mammals scurried in the bushes, and swarms of winged insects buzzed about the area. Rey crouched down a moment and felt the dewy blades of grass. She didn't realize she was grinning until her cheeks started to hurt.

A large hand touched her shoulder with an unprecedented gentleness. Rey looked up. There was amusement etched on Shwaz's face. "As beautiful as it is, time is of the essence."

"Of course." Rey rose to her feet. "To the castle, then?"

Shwaz nodded.

The path to the gate crunched underneath their feet. Rey felt her boots crush patches of plant life and scatter pebbles and rocks around. She almost tripped once, not expecting a tree root to poke out of the earth below them.

They crossed the threshold and made their way to the large doors of the castle. Rey watched as a droid walked down the steps and passed them by. From where they stood she could hear a loud cacophony of voices from within. Music blared, glass shattered, lifeforms yelled and shouted and laughed raucously. This was the end of the line.

"Finn?" Rey addressed the man. She outstretched her hand. "Good luck and safe travels."

He smiled and shook her hand. "You too, Rey. Good luck on your mission." Finn released her hand and glanced at Shwaz. "Both of you."

The man opened the doors and entered. He didn't look back. Rey watched as the doors slowly shut. She inhaled sharply. Why did it feel like something important was slinking away into the darkness? Rey took a few steadying breaths. She was being silly. This was just her body's way of informing her she was overwhelmed... or something.

"Are you alright, Rey?"

Beside her Shwaz looked at her in concern. What did she ever do to deserve his concern, she wondered. They didn't know each other very well at all. In fact, they hadn't spoken much about anything unrelated to their mission. Yet she trusted him. Despite his dark moods, and the occasional terrifying look his face took on, she just _knew_ she could trust him.

"I'm fine. Really." She forced a smile. "Shall we go in?"

Inside the castle were lifeforms from all walks of life. Her ears perked up at the sound of music. Such things were a rarity on Jakku. In fact, Rey couldn't remember the last time she heard real musical instruments. Off in a corner the band played their upbeat tune, moving in time with the beat.

They were meandering through the crowd and toward what looked like a bar. Rey had to lean close to Shwaz in order for him to hear her over the ruckus.

"Where are we going to find fuel for the ship here, Shwaz?"

"The bartender will likely know." His low voice was almost inaudible. "And if they don't, then we'll keep asking until we find someone who does know."

Rey nodded and stuck by the man's side. A few more... aggressive lifeforms scowled at her whenever she got too close. One even bared its fangs at her when they walked past its table. But she wasn't too afraid. Rey was no stranger to confrontation. She'd been in multiple fights back on Jakku. On that planet, it was defeat or be defeated. And when you were defeated on Jakku... bad things happened.

The bar was long and lined with ancient looking stools carved from wood and nailed to the floorboards. Several lifeforms were already indulging in drink. A few looked like they were close to slipping from their seats and collapsing into a heap. Before they could quite reach the counter, someone stopped them.

"You!"

Before them was a short lifeform. Judging by the pitch of their voice, Rey wanted to say they were female. Her skin was a burnt orange colour and thin strands of white hair covered her scalp. But most notable of all were her goggles covering her large brown eyes. She was pointing right at Shwaz, who looked bemused by this.

"Are... are you pointing at me?"

Instead of answering, she clambered onto the dining table and inched closer to Shwaz. Her small hands went to her goggles and Rey watched as her eyes appeared to grow several sizes larger. She appeared to ignore his question.

"You're the one I've been waiting for." She breathed, eyes taking in his appearance.

His eyes widened minutely. "That was you? I could... I could feel you the moment we entered the atmosphere."

Her face broke into a grin, heavy wrinkles appearing near her eyes, and she let out a joyful laugh. "Oh yes, that was me, child. I have been anticipating your arrival for many weeks now." She leaned back and adjusted her goggles, making her twinkling brown eyes reduce in size.

"Forgive me. I am Maz Kanata. Welcome to my home!" She raised her arms into the air and jumped from the table. "Come, my dears. We are due for a discussion."

Rey looked at Shwaz in confusion. He shrugged and followed after the short woman. Not wanting to get left behind, Rey followed after him. She wasn't sure what to think about Maz, but she didn't think the small lifeform was any danger.


	6. Chapter 6

VI.

Rey scrunched her eyebrows as she looked between Maz Kanata and Shwaz. They approached a more desolute area of the castle and sat at an old wooden table. Maz was elderly but full of energy and loud laughs. She wasn't sure what to think about the words she had spoken to Shwaz. How could she have been anticipating the young man's arrival for weeks?

"What are your names?" Maz said, leaning forward slightly.

"Shwaz Ekilib." He replied.

Maz turned her large goggled eyes to Rey.

"I'm Rey." She said, fulling expecting the woman to turn her attention back to Shwaz. But she didn't. Instead, Maz leaned in closer to Rey.

"I was only anticipating one," she said. "I must say this is quite the surprise."

"One what?" Rey's frustration was building a bit.

"One Force-sensitive, my dear." Maz smiled. Rey only stared at her. She didn't know what that meant. A moment passed and the woman's smile dropped. "Oh. You were not aware of it, were you?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about."

Maz's eyes widened and her voice lowered. "The Force. Can't you feel it?"

Rey opened her mouth, ready to respond, when she froze. Something changed. She couldn't quite describe it. It felt like she was being touched, like something bright was reaching out to her.

"I... I can." Rey frowned. Her heart was racing and she felt her hand tremble. Things were changing. Her world was changing.

The woman broke into a smile. "I knew you would be able to." She then turned her attention back to Shwaz. "And you," Maz adjusted her goggles and leaned in close to his face. This time he seemed to be expecting it. If Rey didn't feel so disturbed by everything going on, she would have laughed at the look on his face.

"Your eyes are old for one so young." Maz commented. "Tell me, what brings you to my castle?"

Shwaz looked around before leaning forward slightly. "We are searching for the rebel base. However, we're nearly out of fuel. I -" He glanced at Rey briefly before looking back at Maz. "This planet wasn't my first choice when deciding where to stop for fuel. But I could feel it... something calling out to me." His eyelids closed and Shwaz breathed in deep.

"I can still feel it now." When his eyes opened once more they stared at Maz with a fierce intensity. "There's something here for me."

"There is." Maz replied. Then abruptly she stood. "If it is fuel you need, fuel you will get. Come."

"You're just going to give us fuel?" Rey hadn't moved from her seat. "No questions asked?"

Maz spun around. "I don't have any questions to ask, my dear. Your motives are clear and your words are true. I will help anyone willing to fight against the First Order. Now come along."

Rey stood and followed after them. The busy and loud area of the castle was left behind as the three walked down a long hall. Rey eyed the high brick walls. In some places she could see sprigs of plant life growing out of the cracks.

They entered a room with a single light hanging from the ceiling. The air was musty. She could see dust motes pass through the ray of light. It appeared to be a storage room. Maz stepped forward ahead of them and stood next to what looked like a large crate. She pulled the tarp off. Inside were fuel containers.

"Perfect," Shwaz said as he marched to the crate. "These will do nicely." He picked a container up and turned to Maz. "How much do we owe you?"

"Owe me?" Maz shook her head. "Nothing, my child. This is on the house."

"Surely there's something we can give you in return." Rey couldn't help but say. She simply couldn't believe that anyone would give anything away for free. It was abnormal. No one in Jakku would do such a thing.

"You already have." Maz replied, stepping toward Rey. "My dear, can't you see? You've given me _hope_. And that is worth more than a bit of starship fuel."

"If you're certain."

Shwaz walked over to Rey with the container in hand. He passed it to her. "Go ahead and fuel up the ship. I need to speak with Maz for a moment."

Rey looked at him questioning and watched as he turned away from her to speak with the elderly woman. It was almost funny seeing Shwaz lumbering before her. He was a giant in comparison. As curious as she was, it really wasn't any of Rey's business what he wanted to discuss with Maz. It was more important that she prepared the ship for flight. That way the moment Shwaz rejoined her, they would be ready to continue their mission to D'Qar.

It didn't take much time for Rey to find her way out of the castle and back into open air. She glanced around, taking in the sights and sounds of Takodana. The planet truly was beautiful. If it weren't for the fact that the First Order was searching for any sign of them and the droid, Rey would allow herself a moment to simply enjoy her surroundings.

She marched inside the ship. Her fist clenched around the quarterstaff and she stood in the threshold of the ship. Rey glanced about. There wasn't any sign of stow-aways. She closed the ramp behind her and went straight for the area of the ship where BB-8 was hidden. Crouched down, Rey pulled away the grate. The droid's head whirred up and he beeped a greeting at her. An intense relief overcame her and she sighed heavily.

"Hello to you, too, BB-8." She smiled. "We've got the fuel. As soon as the tank is filled and Shwaz gets back, we'll be on our way."

BB-8 made a happy sound.

"Sorry, but I think its best we keep you covered up for a bit. At least until we're off planet."

Right after filling the ship's tank with fuel, Rey felt something. She gasped in surprise and leaned against the cool metal panels of the ship. Shwaz! Her gut said he was in trouble. She grabbed her quarterstaff and sprinted out of the ship and back to the castle, heart pumping furiously.

She opened the doors to the castle, surprising herself when they slammed behind her. Her legs carried her swiftly through the crowd of lifeforms. She could feel many of their eyes following her, but most didn't give her another glance. Rey looked around the crowd for any sign of Shwaz. But he wasn't there. A droid bumped into her and apologized as he walked by.

Rey frowned at the droid then froze. She stared at the spiraling staircase merely footsteps away from her. Her ears twitched. The air was whispering for her to go. Slowly she made her way over and stood at the top step looking down.

A distant scream made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "Shwaz!" Fear coursed through her.

Running down the steps, Rey mentally prepared herself to fight if she needed to. She knew the sign on Maz's castle said no fighting, but that wouldn't stop her from defending herself and her companion. Voices grew louder the further she went.

Then she stopped. The corridor was dimly lit by hanging lanterns. To her left were what appeared to be storage compartments. But that was of no importance. Her eyes were drawn instead to the end of the hall. Maz Kanata stood before a kneeling and trembling figure. Low whispers danced in the air. She laid a small hand on his shoulder, and in her other hand was a metal cylinder.

Rey watched as it flew out of Maz's hand and clattered to the ground.

"I won't take it!" The figure snarled.

"Shwaz?"

His head sharply lifted up and turned to her. Rey hurried toward him, thoughts racing. What happened? Was he okay? She briefly saw what looked like tears on his face before he stood and turned away from her.

Maz continued speaking to Shwaz as if she were unaware of Rey's presence.

"It is calling out to _you_. Not Rey, not anyone else." She followed after Shwaz, who had begun to pace around the room. He reminded Rey of a vicious predator as he walked around the fallen metal rod. What was its significance, she wondered.

"I don't want it." He scowled down at Maz. "Get it out of my sight!"

"Shwaz, what's going on? What don't you want?" Rey couldn't let this continue. They had to leave! BB-8 was in danger. The three of them were at risk of getting caught, and this needed to end.

"That!" He whirled around and pointed at the object with a look of disgust. "I'm not touching that _thing_ ever again." His red rimmed eyes were wide. And suddenly Rey understood. Past the intense anger and melodrama, there was an immense fear in those ocean blue eyes. "It never was and never will be mine."

Without another word, Shwaz stormed off. Rey was about to go after him when she felt a gentle touch on her hand. She looked down. Maz held out the object to Rey.

She had so many questions, but the first one that came out was, "What is it?"

"It is a weapon that the Jedi Knights of the old republic called a lightsaber." Maz said, pressing it into Rey's open hand. The metal was frigid against her skin. "It calls out for a Master."

"And that Master is Shwaz?" Rey turned the cylinder in her hand and met the woman's eyes.

"Only if he can accept what being its Master entails."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand." Rey's brows furrowed.

"You will learn in time, my dear. Trust in the Force. It will guide you." Maz patted her hand. "Now I'm afraid it is time for you to be on your way."

Rey made to give the lightsaber back but Maz pushed her hand away.

"But-"

"Take it, Rey." Maz pressed Rey's fingers so that they closed over the metal. "Keep it safe. When Shwaz is ready, he will accept ownership of it."


	7. Chapter 7

VII.

It was heavy on her belt. She felt it burning at her side as she sat in the copilot's seat. Hiding it felt wrong. Yet Rey didn't want Shwaz to know she had it. After accepting the lightsaber from Maz, Rey had hurried after the pilot. She had found him in the cockpit entering the coordinates to D'Qar. He had remained silent about his talk with Maz, only speaking about their mission.

"How long will it take to get to the base?" Rey pulled her eyes away from the hyperspace lane.

Shwaz looked at her. "Less than a day, at most."

Behind them BB-8 let out a series of beeps. Shwaz turned his gaze to the droid. "I'm afraid so."

The droid's head drooped and he rolled out of the cockpit. Rey stood from her seat and stretched. Her body ached and she resisted the urge to yawn. She wasn't sure how long they had been up for, but her internal clock was telling her it was time for rest.

"Tired?" Shwaz stood.

"Exhausted." Rey looked up and met his eyes. She hesitated before asking, "Are you alright? You seemed upset back on Takodana."

The change was immediate. His eyes hardened and his mouth turned down into a frown. That suffocating feeling she'd sensed before returned with a vengeance and Rey held her breath.

"I don't want to talk about that." Shwaz stepped away from her. Rey noted his hands had curled into fists at his side. "I'm going to rest. Excuse me," he brushed past her as he left the cockpit, and with him the air seemed the clear.

She felt a wave of frustration and tried to push it away. He was still upset, and that was a natural response to fear, she reminded herself. It was none of her business. They weren't friends, so there was no reason for him to confide in her what had gone on. She understood.

But something deep down told her to persist. Whatever he wasn't saying was important, and it had something to do with the lightsaber on her belt.

An hour later found Rey in one of the bedrooms in the ship. She felt refreshed after succeeding in finding the sonic shower. Her eyes were closed and her legs were crossed as she sat on the bed. Despite all that was going on, all Rey could think about at the moment were Maz Kanata and the Force.

The elderly woman had said Rey was Force-sensitive. She could feel it in Rey. Maz had asked her if she could feel it. In retrospect, Rey realized she had been able to feel the Force guiding her all these years. It was that gut-feeling she got. She thought back to the day before when she met Shwaz back on Jakku. Rey had gotten the feeling that if she didn't help him, something bad would happen. That had been the Force, hadn't it?

But what was the Force, really? Before Shwaz and BB-8 entered her life, Rey had only heard of it mentioned a few times in passing. She never paid much mind to the scavengers who discussed it. To her, it had been simple superstition - a myth. Like Luke Skywalker. The idea that there were people who could move things with their mind had sounded silly to her, like stories meant for young children.

To think that Maz believed Rey was Force-sensitive was almost laughable.

On her belt the lightsaber burned against her clothes. Rey opened her eyes and blinked as they adjusted to the light. Her hand inched toward the cylinder. If she was truly Force-sensitive, would she be able to use the Jedi weapon?

Her fingers wrapped around it and she pulled it off her belt. For a moment she simply stared at it. Looking closely she could see scratches in the metal and scuff marks on the black handle. It looked a little dull, like it hadn't been cleaned and shined properly in years. Her eyes were drawn to the red button on the side.

She held it upright. Her thumb hovered over the button, ready to ignite it.

A cry of distress broke the silence.

Rey dropped the lightsaber on her bed and was on her feet in seconds. She sprinted to the room where she knew he was sleeping and burst in.

He was lying supine on the bed. Fingers gripped at the bedsheets and his exposed muscles were tense. His whole body trembled, and his head turned back and forth, unintelligible words and groans leaving his mouth. Rey could feel his anguish. It almost felt as if the emotion was her own, it was so strong. Her chest tightened and when she took a step closer to him, her legs threatened to give out.

"Shwaz!" Her throat felt raw, as if she had been screaming for hours. "Wake up!" She took another tentative step.

"...you..." His head tilted back. Rey could see the tendons in his neck. "...not..."

The room grew unbearably hot. She stepped closer and her leg gave out. Rey dropped to her knee by his bedside. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking. It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. "Please," her voice cracked.

"...don't..." His bare chest was covered with sweat. "...my..."

"Shwaz, wake up!" Rey's vision blurred. Her head pounded.

"...me..." There was a loud rumble building. "...will..." The floor beneath her vibrated. A sudden crack made Rey flinch. Her eyes widened as the bed Shwaz laid on split in two. For a moment there was silence. Her labored breathing was unbearably loud.

Then he screamed.

His back arched and his jaw clenched and Rey felt like her nerves were on fire. She gulped and gasped for air. Her ears rang as Shwaz's tortured screams filled her consciousness. Somehow she managed to lift herself from sitting position - when had she fallen on her backside? - and onto her knees. Her trembling hands inched toward him in the darkness.

She touched his arm.

"NOOO."

Rey flew across the room. Her back hit the wall and she cried out in pain before falling face first onto the cold floor. Confused, Rey lifted her head. Her vision swam and her ears wouldn't stop ringing. Something hot dripped down her chin.

"Shwaz?" Rey searched the darkness. Something touched her arm and she pulled it close to her chest with a gasp.

"Rey." Any quieter and she wouldn't have heard. She turned her head and winced as pain jolted up her neck.

He knelt before her, wide awake. Guilt was etched on his face. His chest heaved and he was panting, gasping for air like she was. Ocean eyes implored her to, to - she wasn't sure. All Rey could think about was the sheer amount of pain she had just felt. Pain that wasn't even hers.

"You're bleeding." He sounded devastated, as if it were the worst possible thing in existence. Rey touched her chin and looked down at her shaking hand. The pads of her fingertips were painted dark red. She made a sound of surprise. So that's what it had been...

"Rey, I'm so sorry." His voice cracked with emotion. When she looked up his head was bowed down. She could feel his remorse. It was so intense she could feel it eating at her own heart. "I would never -" He inhaled sharply. "I-I'm not a monster. I'm not." He said in a small voice. At his own words he seemed to curl into himself more.

"It was an accident." Rey tried to soothe him. She reached out but hesitated to touch him. "I know you didn't mean it."

His head was still bowed. Rey saw his shoulders shaking.

"If anything, it was my fault. I tried to wake you from your nightmare." Rey slowly sat up. "Do... do you want to talk about it?"

She knew the answer as soon as she asked.

"No!" Shwaz snapped. The anger in his voice instantly died out. He took a few steady breaths. "I don't want to relive that."

When their eyes met, all Rey could see was pain and sorrow. Whatever he had dreamt of had scared him. She hoped he didn't have more - or worse! - nightmares. Her eyes travelled to the bed that was split in half. If this is what happened with a mild nightmare... she didn't want to know what an intense one would do.

Rey looked back at Shwaz. "I understand." And she did. There were nights where she was afraid to drift off to sleep. Where she feared to relive her abandonment. Those nights she would wake gasping for breath with tears streaking her cheeks.

He nodded. Slowly he lifted himself up to his feet. Shwaz held his hand to her in offering. Rey looked at it for a second and took it. She wobbled on her feet but quickly gained her balance. "Thank you," she said.

"I'm going to check the navicomputer." He said. Before she could respond, he exited the room.

She stood alone in silence. The room grew cold. Rey's heart finally slowed to a normal pace as she looked about the empty bedroom. Her head ached along with her spine.

For a long moment Rey wondered if she was being foolish in trusting Shwaz. What she had suspected upon first meeting him had proven to be true: he was dangerous. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brows. Despite the obvious danger, her gut insisted that he was trustworthy.

And yet...

Was it possible for the Force to lie? Rey's temples throbbed and she massaged them with her fingertips. She didn't think it could. But she knew that a human being's senses could. Their eyes could be deceived easily with optical illusions.

Rey thought back to that moment before she went flying. Shwaz's eyelids had snapped open and his arm had extended out toward her. Perhaps, in her fear, she had imagined the sickly yellow that seemed to glow in the darkness. After all, it wasn't possible for human irises to simply change colors like that.


	8. Chapter 8

VIII.

They had gotten very little sleep after the nightmare incident. Shwaz had taken to brooding in one corner of the ship. Rey had promptly gone to the refresher and cleaned the dried blood from her face. It had dripped from her nose, past her lips, and down her chin. Afterwards she had gone back to her bedroom where she rested her aching body.

Her brain had refused to shut down, so instead of sleeping, Rey had stared up at the ceiling in between tossing and turning. Once it became clear that she would get no rest, Rey had spent her time with BB-8. Conversing with the little droid was difficult. She didn't understand binary one hundred percent, so she often didn't understand or misunderstood what BB-8 said. At some point he had gone so far to bow his head and roll away from her when Rey failed to comprehend a particular series of beeps.

The journey to D'Qar had been long, lonely, and boring.

Rey welcomed the end of their travel with great enthusiasm. Shwaz had reappeared from wherever he had gone looking like the incident had never happened. He smiled warmly at her and Rey automatically returned the look. When he was in a good mood, it was truly infectious. She felt her heart lighten.

Minutes later they were together in the cockpit. They exited hyperspace. Rey leaned forward in her seat. The world before them was lush with less water than Takodana seemed to have. She grinned as excitement grew within her.

Shwaz took the controls and flew the ship into the planet's atmosphere. Below the clouds were rolling hills, green meadows, and sparse forests of spindly trees. They easily spotted a settlement that had to be the Resistance Base. Shwaz donned the headset before him and reached out to the rebels.

"This is Shwaz Ekilib, requesting permission to land." A cocky look formed on his face. "I believe we have a droid you've lost."

"Captain to pilot Ekilib, please inform us of the model number of the droid you have in possession."

"It's a BB-8 unit. I've been told he carries an important map you've been searching for."

"Captain to pilot Ekilib, you've been granted permission to land."

After landing the ship on base they looked at each other. This was the end of their mission, and the beginning of many more to come. She smiled at Shwaz.

"Well, that was quite the adventure."

"Yeah, it was." He paused. "Are you really going to join the Resistance?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Of course I am."

And just like that he seemed to radiate light. His ocean eyes were bright and crinkled at the corners. In moments like these he was truly stunning.

"Well then, shall we?"

Together they left the cockpit. BB-8 rolled over to them, beeping erratically. Shwaz lowered the ramp and for a moment Rey's eyes were blinded by the light outdoors. BB-8 rolled on out at a ridiculous speed before stopping at the knees of a Resistance pilot in the distance. A group of Resistance members stood before their ship at a distance.

Their leader stood in front of them, short yet radiating authority. For a brief moment she seemed surprised, although Rey wasn't sure what about either of them could elicit such a look. The woman stepped forward and glared hard at them.

"Who are you? And how did you come about the droid?" She stared at Shwaz, fire in her eyes.

Rey could feel his confusion. He looked slightly offended, mouth downturned. She, too, didn't understand why she was being so aggressive toward him. Shouldn't she be happier that they found the droid instead of the First Order? Behind the woman Rey could see BB-8 rolling toward them, a pilot alongside him.

"I've already told your people my name," Shwaz retorted. "And for your information, BB-8 found _me_, not the other way around."

His response seemed to fuel her anger. Rey tried to diffuse the situation. "What my companion means to say," she said loudly, drawing their attention. "Is that he and BB-8 met on the desert of Jakku, our home planet. It was after the First Order's invasion of Tuanul."

"Is that so?" She looked at her in interest.

There was a loud series of beeps. They all looked to see BB-8 roll up next to the Resistance leader.

"General Organa," said the pilot. "BB-8 says she's telling the truth. They went out of their way to save him and were attacked by the First Order."

The general looked at Rey. "Is that true?"

"Yes, General."

She nodded. "Very well. I apologize for being antagonistic, but you must understand we're at war." Her back straightened. "I am General Leia Organa, Leader of the Resistance. What is your name?"

"Rey," she said.

"On behalf of the Resistance, I thank you both for returning the droid." She stepped forward. "We would be more than happy to offer you food and shelter before your journey home."

Rey and Shwaz looked at each other before turning back to General Organa.

"We're not going back to Jakku." Shwaz said.

"We were hoping to join the Resistance." Rey added.

General Organa's eyebrow twitched. She approached Rey and looked her up and down. Rey's fingers curled at her right side where the lightsaber hung, hidden from sight. Then the general turned her gaze to Shwaz. They stared each other down. Rey saw the general's eyes narrow slightly.

She turned to face away from them both. She motioned toward two of her men. "Show the girl to the rest area, and take the man to my office. I wish to speak with him in private."

Two officers stepped forward and led Shwaz away from their ship and toward the bunker while the pilot with BB-8 approached Rey. He had expressive brown eyes and the beginnings of a beard growing. Behind him General Organa walked away, Shwaz and the officers following right after her. Rey watched him go. She thought that Shwaz would have protested such treatment, but it seemed Rey didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

"I don't understand." She frowned.

"General Organa knows what she's doing." The pilot said, getting her attention. "I'm Captain Dameron, by the way. Thanks for rescuing BB-8. Now, I bet you're hungry."

With that he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently led her forward. Rey frowned at the contact and would have shrugged him off if something hadn't clicked in her mind. She interrupted him mid-word. "Dameron? As in Poe Dameron?"

His dark eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, how did you-"

"Finn." She watched as something lit up his eyes.

"Finn? He survived?" He exclaimed, seeming delighted by the news.

"Yes. We met him on Jakku and, well, he thought you were dead. He was wearing your jacket." Rey glanced at BB-8. "I would've thought you'd have told your Master this already, BB-8."

Poe's smile slowly vanished. "Where is he?" His concern was almost palpable.

"We parted ways on Takodana." Rey said.

"Takodana? What were you guys doin' there?"

Before Rey could respond, Poe interrupted. "You know what? You can tell me once we get some food in your belly."

Their walk into the bunker was a quiet one. Rey found her eyes drifting toward the bright orange uniforms of the Resistance pilots. The base was a confusing maze of identical looking halls and corridors. It would be laughably easy to get lost, so Rey made sure to stay close to the Captain.

BB-8 rolled away from them with a pointed series of beeps directed at Poe. He only laughed and told the droid they'd see him later and to do what he had to do.

Before she knew it she was sat at a cafeteria table with a tray of the most appetizing food she'd seen in a while. Poe was sat across from her with a similar tray, smiling and eyes coaxing her into telling him her story. It was a look that was awfully difficult to resist. The next thing she knew, Rey was telling Poe of her journey from Jakku to D'Qar. She left out the personal parts regarding Shwaz, of course. There was no reason for Poe to know about his troubles.

"So Finn's made a new life for himself. That's great. I'm glad for him, I really am." Despite the smile on his face his eyes seemed a little sad.

"Did he really save you from the First Order?" Rey said, curiosity piqued.

"He sure did." Poe said. "Said he needed a pilot. Luckily for him, he found himself one of the best pilots in the Resistance. We stole an x-wing from the star destroyer and got the hell out of there."

"Didn't you also crash said x-wing?" She raised an eyebrow at the words 'best pilot'.

He shrugged. "Yeah. That's nothing new."

Rey stared at him for a moment and shook her head down at her tray. How could he act as if that were no big deal? From what she'd seen of the Resistance base it didn't seem to be very well funded. If that were the case, Poe acting cavalier about crashing ships was just... off-putting.

Their conversation died off after that, and they ate in relative silence. Rey savored the different flavors and textures of her food. Back on Jakku they didn't have the luxury of variety when it came to their rations. She rolled the savory meat over her tongue and hummed happily. If this is what they served, Rey thought she could get used to being part of the Resistance.

Her thoughts drifted to Shwaz. Why had the general wanted to speak to him in her office? She had looked so offended by his presence. It was weird. They were hiding something, those two. And whatever it is, Rey had a feeling it was Big and Important. She chewed thoughtfully on her roll of bread.

She would have to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

**That was the last chapter I wrote back in 1/2018. I may continue it at some point if there's any interest in it haha. I just wanted to post it for fun. TBC possibly.**


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